Australia trail Uruguay 1-0 from the first leg in Montevideo and Viduka is one of a number of Premiership-based players who know this is probably their last chance to experience the World Cup finals. "The one thing that I really want to achieve in my career is to help my country clinch a place in the finals of the World Cup," Viduka said. "Qualifying for Germany in 2006 would mean absolutely everything to me in football terms, and the way it looks at the moment I don't think I'll be around for the next World Cup finals because I'll be nearly 35 by then. So this is my last chance."

Viduka will never forget the disappointment of Australia being a few minutes from qualifying for France 98 when they conceded two late goals against Iran at the MCG to draw 2-2 and go out on away goals, the "worst experience" in his career.

That failure has hardened the determination for success against Uruguay in what could be a feisty second leg. "I've never felt hurt like that in football," he said. "That definitely ranks as the single most disappointing game in my career."

Mark Schwarzer, Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill, Lucas Neill and Brett Emerton are other familiar Premiership figures who hope to help the Socceroos qualify for the finals for the first time since 1974.

Neither Bahrain nor Trinidad and Tobago have ever reached the finals and Dwight Yorke is confident his country can overcome the threat of the home team in Manama after the 1-1 draw in Port of Spain. The away goal has given Bahrain the advantage but T&T captain Yorke said: "This game is far from over. We know what needs to be done now and that certainly is going to Bahrain and winning.

"We must go there and put our heads together again and do what is necessary. We have to still fancy our chances and there's no reason to think that we are not capable of still doing it." Bahrain has a population of close to 700,000 while Trinidad and Tobago's is a little more than a million. The winners would be the smallest country in the 2006 competition and probably in the history of the competition to reach the finals.

In the three European play-offs Spain's second leg against Slovakia in Bratislava should be little more than a formality after Luis Aragones' side won the first leg 5-1 when Liverpool's Luis Garcia scored a hat-trick.

The Czech Republic will be without captain Tomas Galasek through suspension but their 1-0 victory over Norway in Oslo, which saw the international return of midfielder Pavel Nedved from a self-imposed exile, should see them through.

Norway will be counting on their good away form - they are unbeaten on their travels this year - to turn the tie around.

Though Switzerland take a 2-0 lead to Istanbul they are likely to need their two-goal cushion against 2002 World Cup semi-finalists Turkey in what promises to be a passionate tie at Fenerbahce's Ataturk stadium.

The visitors were detained at Ataturk airport for two-and-a-half hours under police protection on Monday with television images showing over 100 Turkish fans shouting insults at the Swiss players.